Advice for transfers, by a transfer
Photo Credit: Sarah Mester
By Sarah Mester
Welcome to the University of Pennsylvania!
I am now an alumni, knowledgeable in the ways of Path@Penn and SEPTA, but I transferred to Penn as a sophomore from the University of Michigan, so I know a thing or two about what the experience was like. I know that advice aimed at freshmen about managing your schedule, setting up a dorm room, and balancing your work and social life might not be particularly useful, since you have probably already been doing that for a year, if not two. However, you will have to learn how to sign up for classes all over again, navigate a new campus, explore a new city, and make new friends all while growing as a student and academic.
Do not fear! Penn has a large, well-supported transfer community. Penn’s Transfer Student Organization (TSO) holds a stellar transfer student orientation (also called TSO) tailored to smooth the transfer experience. Additionally, TSO offers a mentorship program that will match you with a transfer from a previous year, which is a great opportunity to learn more about Penn and ask the questions you have been wanting to ask about the transfer experience. Transfers also have the option of living in Rodin College House’s transfer living community (TLC) on the 11th floor.
So without further ado, here are a couple pieces of advice for new transfers:
- Use What You Know: Reflect on what you were satisfied with or not satisfied with about your previous college experience. What would you do differently? If you wished you had explored more, do that. If you wished you had been more social than you were, do that. If you wished you had taken more challenging classes, do that. This is freshman year 2.0—you have the knowledge of a sophomore (or junior), but the chance to start over with a fresh slate.
- Accept Penn’s Differences: Every college is different, from the lingo around campus to how you register for classes. I personally spent more time that I care to admit learning how to navigate the weirdly complicated process for printing on campus. I mourned the loss of ratemyprofessors comments (yes, most Penn professors are not on there) and that one study spot with the comfy chair and the view. But, instead of focusing on everything that Penn is not or does not have, focus on what you have gained by joining the Penn community.
- Start Slow: Penn will likely offer a more challenging academic environment than where you transferred from, so even if during freshman year you could comfortably handle your coursework and four clubs, that might not be the case as a sophomore at Penn. Or it might be, but be careful to not overcommit yourself during the first few weeks of the semester before classes have kicked into full gear and you have a better understanding of your course load. There are only so many hours in the day and, sadly, Van Pelt Library (known as “VP”) does not offer time-turner rentals.
- Everything XCAT: XCAT is Penn’s External Credit Approval Tool and is where you request credit for the classes you took at your previous institution. I have two practical pieces of advice for transferring credits—keep the syllabi from all your classes and if you are not getting a response, email a department directly (syllabus in hand) to discuss how to transfer a class. If you feel like a class you took fulfilled a general education requirement, but you did not get credit for it, bring it up to your pre-major advisor.
- You Belong: You are as much a Penn student as anyone else. It is up to you whether you want to share that you transferred to Penn, but do not feel like you have to hide that information for fear of judgment.
That’s all folks! I know, only five points. I could have written more, but this is not an essay assignment with a minimum word requirement and you probably have better things to do than read my bad jokes. If you want some ideas about what you should do before you get on campus, feel free to check out Penn Post’s 123 suggestions.
Good luck navigating your transition to Penn and, once again, welcome to the Penn community!
Sarah Mester is a College class of 2025 alumna who studied Political Science and Classics from San Francisco, CA. She was formerly the News Editor for The Pennsylvania Post. Her email is smester@sas.upenn.edu.
